Chilling CCTV footage reveals the moment a homeless drug addict assaulted 63-year-old Parkinson’s sufferer Neil Shadwick, stole his mobility scooter, and abandoned him to die in freezing temperatures. Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 41, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to six and a half years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court for the crime.
Neil Shadwick was discovered unresponsive in the car park of a Tesco Superstore on Stratford Road on January 22, having been deprived of his mobility scooter, which he relied on for transportation.
Police-released footage shows Mr. Shadwick approaching a cashpoint around 2:30 a.m. with a woman riding on the back of his scooter. The woman, whose nose was covered by a yellow scarf and who wore matching gloves, appeared agitated as Mr. Shadwick attempted to withdraw cash. While he was entering his PIN, she seized the opportunity, climbed onto the scooter, and drove off.
As Neil Shadwick clung to the scooter, using one foot to maintain balance, Kimberley Ann Hawkins did not slow down. Mr. Shadwick was dragged for a significant distance before falling off, and Hawkins did not look back.
Police reported that Hawkins abandoned Mr. Shadwick to die in sub-zero temperatures after riding away on the stolen scooter. Supermarket staff discovered Mr. Shadwick in a Tesco car park less than a mile from the cashpoint around 5:45 a.m. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Mr. Shadwick managed to say “Kim” and “robbery” to emergency services before being taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where he later died.
The scooter was found abandoned by a member of the public on Bisley Old Road, over a mile away from the crime scene.
Mr. Shadwick’s daughter, Victoria Bentley, expressed that her “incredibly vulnerable” father must have been “terrified” as he realized he had been abandoned and unsure of when or if help would arrive. She highlighted Hawkins’ indifference, noting that Hawkins “did not even look back” as she fled.
Hawkins, who had previously admitted to charges of aggravated vehicle taking and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, was sentenced for the manslaughter of Mr. Shadwick. Prosecutor Mary Cowe described Mr. Shadwick as “extremely vulnerable,” noting he lived in supported accommodation and relied on carers. Cowe characterized Hawkins’ actions as “selfish and spiteful” but not premeditated, adding that Hawkins had claimed to have performed sexual favors for Mr. Shadwick and that he was unable to pay.
Mary Cowe remarked, “A man who uses a mobility scooter and has slurred speech and difficulty walking is inherently vulnerable. Even if she had just met him, Hawkins would have been aware of his vulnerability.”
In her victim impact statement, Neil Shadwick’s daughter, Mrs. Bentley, described the chilling reality of the abandonment: “Kimberley Hawkins knew that by leaving Dad in that car park on a freezing cold night, she was abandoning an incredibly vulnerable man who could barely communicate and had no way of seeking help. He must have been terrified, realizing he was alone and unsure if help would come. The CCTV footage was horrifying; she didn’t even look back, didn’t try to get him help or call an ambulance, and then she hid. What did she hope to achieve by leaving him?”
Mr. Shadwick’s sister, Tania Rickards, revealed that the family was also grappling with the terminal illness of their brother Kevin, who passed away months later. She expressed her disbelief and sorrow: “It is beyond comprehension that Neil was left in such a manner. No one in the family had the chance to say goodbye; I was on the phone with the hospital when he passed. Hawkins rode off without a second thought. She could have returned to check on him or sought help, but she did not. Neil did not deserve to be treated and abandoned in this way, and neither does anyone else. On January 22, 2023, Kimberley Hawkins was not one of the good people in the world.”
Sarah Jenkins, defending, emphasized that the tragic events unfolded after Hawkins discovered Mr. Shadwick was unable to pay for her services. Jenkins stated, “There was no premeditation. Hawkins’ actions were a result of her frustration upon learning about the payment issue.”
Jenkins described Hawkins’ dire circumstances at the time: “She was living in a tent in a graveyard and was deeply remorseful. As a lone female drug addict who provided sexual services to fund a Class A drug addiction, her living conditions were extremely dire. She would not have chosen such a life and will regret her actions for the rest of her life.”
Judge Peter Blair KC, the Recorder of Bristol, sentenced Hawkins to six years for manslaughter and an additional six months for the other offences. “It was a freezing cold night in January 2023 when this occurred,” Judge Blair noted. “You dragged Mr. Shadwick for a considerable distance, approximately one minute, and despite his obvious vulnerability, you chose to ignore him. He fell off or became dislodged, and you continued without regard for his well-being.”
The judge highlighted the severity of Hawkins’ actions: “Mr. Shadwick was left alone in sub-zero temperatures for approximately three hours before Tesco employees found him. He managed to provide your full name and reported the robbery, despite his condition.”
Detective Inspector Adam Stacey from the Major Crime Investigation Team commented, “Hawkins’ despicable actions had devastating and fatal consequences for a man she knew to be extremely vulnerable.”
He added, “I welcome her guilty plea, which spared Mr. Shadwick’s family from the ordeal of a lengthy trial. Our thoughts remain with his family during this profoundly difficult time.”
